Poachers kill three black rhinos in Zimbabwe
Source: From The Mail & Guardian (SA)
Date: 9 November 2007
Author: Anon
Harare - Poachers have shot dead three black rhinoceroses - a species listed as the most highly endangered large mammal on Earth - on a private conservancy, its owner said on Thursday. John Travers said poachers armed with AK47 automatic rifles on Wednesday night evaded the armed guards surrounding the rhino at the Imire game park about 100km east of Harare and shot dead two females and a male, but left a four-week-old calf unharmed. Zimbabwe in the 1980s had the largest population in Africa of black rhino, about 7 500, but a wave of poaching all over Africa - driven by demand for the horn in the Far East as a cure for fevers and a sexual stimulant and in Yemen where it was used for dagger handles - decimated the population, including Zimbabwe's. The horn is composed of tightly compacted hair fibres, and has no other pharmacological properties, according to biologists.
About 1 500 of the surviving population were captured in the Zambezi Valley on Zimbabwe's northern border and taken to apparent safety in national game parks and conservancies in the interior of the country. About 500 are still left, according to wildlife experts, but they have come under increasing pressure this year. The animals on Imire were under constant watch by armed guards, "but this was a slick operation," Travers said. One of the cows was two weeks away from giving birth to a calf. Poaching is pretty rampant now. Incidents like this are going to have a serious effect." He said the three animals had had their horns sawn off by wildlife veterinarians about two months ago, a tactic used with some success to deter poachers. The decision to dehorn them was taken when poachers attacked another conservancy outside Harare and shot dead three white rhino. "My assumption is that these guys were after the horns but it was dark and they couldn't see that they didn't have horns," he said.
The three were among the hundreds of black rhino rescued from the Zambezi Valley during "Operation Stronghold," a semi-military operation to fight off the poachers, and came to Imire in 1985, where they became the stock for a scientific breeding programme to build up their numbers again. Travers said there were three others - the progeny of the slaughtered rhino - still on the conservancy. Police had supplied six armed officers to live with the rhino for the next two weeks and strengthen the defences against a possible return by the poachers' gang, he said. "It's getting out of hand," said Johnny Rodriguez, chairperson of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force, a private wildlife organisation. In a large conservancy in the Mavuradonha area about 200km north of Harare, the rhino population had fallen from 54 to eight in the last year, while conservancies in the central Midlands province had lost 31 in the same period and were down to 21 now.
RELATED ZCTF REPORT: 12th November 2007 IMIRE BLACK RHINO TRAGEDY
It is with utter shock, horror and disbelief that we report the massacre of 3 black rhino at the hands of poachers on the night of the 7th November 2007 at Imire Safari Ranch. Just over 20 years ago, Imire Safari Ranch became the guardians of 7 orphaned black rhino. The purpose of this was to try and increase the population of the endangered species and over the past 2 decades, the Travers family have lovingly reared and bred these animals, successfully releasing 13 black rhino back into Matusadonna National Park.
Last Wednesday night, the 7th of November, 4 armed poachers dressed in camougflage uniform, assaulted and tied up the rhino guards and opened fire on the 3 adult rhino in their pens. All 3 were killed - Sprinter, a male, DJ, a female who had recently given birth to a calf and tragically, Amber a pregnant female who was due to give birth in a week. Amber's unborn calf also died.
The 3 rhino had been dehorned 6 weeks ago in an effort to make them less attractive to poachers but nevertheless, the poachers tried to hack out the inch of new horn growth from one of the rhinos before being frightened off by the sound of a car approaching. Imire Safari Ranch are now left with 4 orphaned rhinos including DJ's 6 week old calf and they are offering a reward to anyone who can lead them to the despicable people who were responsible for the massacre.
They have circulated the following appeal for funds for a reward: Imire Safari Ranch “ What is man without the beast? If all the Beasts were gone man would die from Great loneliness of spirit. For whatever happens to the beasts soon happens to man… All are connected”. – Chief Seattle
REWARD FUNDING
Reward funding required towards the arrest and conviction of the persons responsible for the brutal killing of our 3 Black Rhino at Imire Game Park on the night of 7 th November 2007. “DJ”, mother of 7-week-old “Tatenda” (now orphaned), “Sprinter” (father of “Tatenda”) and “Amber” (pregnant mother and ready to give birth). They were shot while in there bomas. In 20 seconds, our Black Rhino breeding stock were annihilated. Obviously the bigger the reward the better the prospects of these culprits being brought to JUSTICE all funds will be carefully monitored and invested until such time the reward is paid or refunded to those who have contributed. All funds made payable to Imire Game Park Zimbank Marondera Branch A/C # 4573 399451001
Contact: Mike or Sheila Thompson, John, Judy or Reilly Travers or Pete and Mandy Bibby Imire Game Park P Bag 3750 Marondera Phone: 022-2054 022-222857 E-mail: imiregp@zol.co.zw Please forward to everyone, everywhere.
The photos in this report are of a black rhino at Imire Safari Ranch which we were very fortunate to see a few months ago. We extend our deepest sympathy to the Travers family and their team for their tragic loss. Johnny Rodrigues
Chairman for Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force
Tel: 263 4 336710
Fax/Tel: 263 4 339065
Mobile: 263 11 603 213
Email: galorand@mweb.co.zw
Website: www.zimbabwe-art.com
Website: www.zctf.mweb.co.zw
FOLLOW UP
ZIMBABWE CONSERVATION TASK FORCE 15th November 2007
On the 12th November 2007, we circulated a very disturbing report about the three black rhino that were shot at Imire Safari Ranch. The Travers family have informed us that people are responding to their appeal for funds so that they can offer a reward to anyone giving information leading to the capture and conviction of the perpetrators of this atrocity. They are extremely grateful to all those who have contributed so far. We have now received some very sad photos of the deceased rhino which can be seen further down in this report. It is not our intention to upset people so anyone of a sensitive nature should not scroll down any further and rather delete this email now. In order to prevent sensitive people from seeing the photos by mistake, we are including the appeal from Imire again, and the photos will appear thereafter:
